Seems to me like he was included for the sake of getting rid of him. Kind of like what the Wings are trying to do with Hudler. I can't imagine he would play more than a few games next season as a 7th or even 8th D-man, depending on who the Preds sign.

Earlier, Poile traded forward Matthew Lombardi and defenseman Cody Franson to Toronto for defenseman Brett Lebda and forward Robert Slaney. Lebda played 41 games with the Leafs last season and had four points. Slaney has yet to play a game in the NHL. Lombardi was signed last summer to be Nashville's first-line center, but never played due to a concussion suffered in the second game of the season. Franson played 80 games last year.

Poile touted the trade as giving Nashville flexibility to move forward in its offseason goals. He said Lombardi's concussion and the uncertainty about his status made it difficult for the Predators to formulate a plan.

"We lived with that last year, and it kind of paralyzed us," Poile said. "Thatís why we made the deal. We never like to give up a young player in a homegrown talent like Cody Franson, but you have to give up something to put ourselves in the position to improve, which is what we are committed to do from now until training camp."

The move could be considered somewhat of a salary dump. Slaney has one year left on his two-way contract, which pays him $600,000 at the NHL level and $65,000 at the AHL level. Lebda is set to make $1.4 million next season -- the final year of his contract. Lombardi had two years at $3.5 million per season left on his deal, and Franson had one year at $800,000 left on his contract.

"We still have to fill in a couple of holes, and Iím committed to doing that. But I really feel good to what weíve done this point, to change our club and give us more options," Poile said. "Our payroll is going to be more than it was last year."

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I guess in order for Burke to take on the extra 2 million difference between Lebda/Lombardi's contract, Poile included Franson in the deal. If this is Franson's contract year that signals they are intent on holding onto Suter next spring as well.

One thing I do know for sure: if this trade had been available for the Wings when Lebda played in Detroit, I'd have hoped that Holland would do the same. Franson, a big, right handed player who can put up some points, could have played that role on the right D side for Detroit and -- if you ignore Lombardi's potential dead weight contact -- comes cheaper than Commodore...